Article grouping mechanism



Sept. 9, 1952 A. c. DAv|s 2,609,911

ARTICLE GROUPING MECHANISM Filed March l2. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l cz//Cm C; Dams spf. 9, 1952 Filed March 12, 1948 A. C. DAVIS ARTICLE GROUPING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ftrownmj A. C. DAVIS ARTICLE GROUPING MECHANISM Sept. 9, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March l2, 1948 Sept. 9, 1952 A. c. DAVIS ARTICLE GROUPING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Filed Maron 12, 1948 Hm w@ Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED [STATES PATIENT OFFICE 2,609,911 i ARTICLE GROUPING MECHANISM p Allan o. Davis, BaltimoraMa. Application March 12, 1948, Serial No. 14,457

V-9 Claims. (Cl. Hi8-31) This invention relates' to an improvement in the article groupingmechamsm ofthe case filling `machine shown in Yapplicants Patent No. 2,318,598, issued May 11, 1943.

As shown `in that *.patent, the article grouping mechanism.` has .the purpose of rdividing a group of articles brought on a horizontal conveyor to another conveyor into groups of any designated number for which the machinehas been designed. An object of the present improvement is to make the machine adjustable, or adaptable so that regardless of the number of articles which may have previously passed the article sensitive mechanisml that mechanism may be set at anyinstant to deliver `the articles from the rst to the second conveyor in groups of the prescribednumber. VAnother object of the present invention is `toV makethe mechanism more sensitive in its operation, and more sensitive to the Vpassage of articles past the article sensitive element.' `Another object of the invention is to construct. the article sensitive or counting mechanisml and switches of interchangeable parts to gainY greater economy of manufacture and maintenance.` x i *Although the invention is shown as related to a case filling. machine, as shown in applicants above numberedprior patent, itis not limited to use on that machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear'from the following description 'and the? accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and Ain which:

l Figure 1 is a top plan view of the conveyors and counting mechanism involved in the invention. i

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure `3 is al schematic view thereof showing the electrical circuits.

Figure 4 is a plan view ofthe contact making cams.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modification of the switch operating mechanism.

`In Vthe drawings similar `numerals refer to similar parts throughout the` several views.

As shown in applicants above mentioned patent. bottles or other articles after a previous operation such as filling are carried along by a horizontal conveyor l. During the operation of the machine this conveyor is constantly driven and should the articles accumulate thereon the conveyor will simply slide under the articles. Preferably the conveyor has guides 2 at each side to 'limit the lateral movement of the bottles. A conveyor or magazine 3` rotating in`V a vertical plane is placed over the end of the horizontal conveyor l. The magazine comprises a plurality of radially disposed rubber covered blades or pushers 4 which extend radially fromV the circular base of the magazine. These blades serve as pushers, the bottles being delivered between `adjacent blades on the conveyor I and from the end of this conveyor Lithe bottles arepropelled or pushed by the blades 4 to and from a supporting plate 5 until they fall into cases 6 passing under the magazine.

As shown in the above patent, the magazine is driven intermittently, although the driving mechanism that might effect itsA movement is constantly operating. As shown in that patent the magazine has a depending arm' which moves it the distance of the space between "twoiof the blades 4, to present an empty space to the conveyor l with each swing of the arm and upon the return of the arm, the magazine is held stationary. A constantly operating reciprocating member is attached to the arm to swing it in this pendulum like manner only upon the actuation of a solenoid switch 6A, which throws a latch into position in this constantly operating member to hold the pendulum like arm and move it its one step at a time. Immediately upon the release of the solenoid switch the constantly operating reciprocating member on the machine is released from its moving hold on the pendulum arm so that that arm after being pulled back to its initial position remains stationary until the solenoid switch is again actuated. This structure is all old as shown in the above patentand forms no part of the present invention.

' The counting means of the present invention consists of a star wheel 1 which has a plurality of openings or pockets therein, between its points; to allow the passage of the bottles or articles thereby. The articles are preferably held and guided into position to turn the star wheel by additional guide 8 extending vertically on the opposite side of the bottles from the starwheel.v The star wheel is preferably placed on a` square' shaft 9. On this shaft are placed4V a pile of cams,

each cam I0 having two diametricallyiopposed l cam surfaces Il. 4. n

So that allthe cams may be constructed alike they are made as shown in Figure 4, in which the center of the cam surface is 221/2 from' one diagonal through the square of the opening in the cam, and 671/2 from the other diagonal through thesquare of the opening in the cam. This construction of the cams permitsvfour of them to be used, all constructed identically to make eight contacts of their adjacent switches in a full revolution of the star wheel which has eight openings between its points as shown in Figure 1. tained by turning them over to obtain a different angular position from that for which they function before turning.

As shown diagrammatically in Figure 3 these cams I!! areshown withY the shaft 9 broken into sections. `Each cam has a switch I2 with a follower I3 thereon which is operated by the cam surfaces II. As also shown in Figure 3, current from generator I4 to operate solenoid EA passes This adaptability of the cams is ob-V to the center or arm I5 of switch I6 on one side,

and on the other side through the switches I2 to the separate contacts I1 on the switch I6.

Although there are eight contact making cam surfaces and eight pockets in the star wheel as shown in Figure 3 the machine is set up to deliver groups of four bottles each to the magazine spaces.V As will be apparent from this'Figure 3, :the cam Asurfaces Il being 180 apart, vwhen thefcircuit is .closed by one cam surface II', as shown at the left in this figure, with the passage of a bottle with that closure, because of the setting of arm I5, .the circuit will not be closed as the next three bottles pass, because the other Acontacts I'I, connected to the other switches I2,

arenot connected to arm I5. But when the next,

fourth bottle, passes, the surface II which is 180 removed from that shown closing the circuit Yatthe left in Figure 3, then cornes around, andcloses the ycircuitagainy the magazine moves Vthe four bottles forward.

.'Asa plurality of bottles are passed along conveyor I', .carried thereby, they are pushed be-V tween the blades 4 of themagazine 3 and unless the'arml of Lthel switch IS is on one of the contacts I1, themagazine does not operate, but the conveyor I is allowed to simply slide along under the bottles. With this condition existing the operator can starta sequence of the delivery of four bottles from each compartment of the magazine` by simply turning arm l5 around the contacts II until the magazine moves. The arm I5 is then left on the contact I'I which caused the movement through the completion of the current through the circuit. Should a bottle be removedy from the conveyor I because of an imperfection in the bottle or its contents, after passing thestar wheel, the delivery of precisely four `bottles from each compartment of the magazine can be corrected to replace the removed bottle, by throwing the arm I5 to the'appropriate contact I' I and the delivery of four bottles from each compartment of the magazine will continue until another bottle is removed for'cause or'until'another reason may suggest a further change of the'cycle of delivery or grouping of the bottles for delivery from the magazine.

A masterswitch I8 may be closed in anytime by the operator to move the magazine. The closingof this switch shorts the current so that the actuationof the solenoid is not dependent upon the action of theswitch I6 and of its electrically connected cams I0. y

As likewise shown in applicants above mentioned patent a mercury switch I9 operated by rollersin'contact with the moving cases 6 may open` the circuit to stop the magazine movement in the event of there being no case under the magazine to receive the oncoming bottles.

-As shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, the cams IIJ and switches I2 are in a vertical column and bank'respectively. A modified form is shown U star wheel, so that the groupingfor any one operation may be varied at will, and thereafter the grouping so varied will continue until changed again. It will likewise be apparent that the number in veach group can be varied by varying the number of contacts made by the cams on the switch I2 and the number of contacts II on the switch I5.

Other variations in the construction illustrated may be made without departing from the invenf tion defined in the following claims.

'What is claimed as new and is .desiredzto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In an article grouping mechanism lhaving a supply conveyor to support l'and convey aline of articles and areceiving conveyor and means to drive the conveyors to deliver articles in groups from the supply conveyor to the .receiving conveyor, a'star wheel counterin the path of articles on the supply .conveyor turned one point by the passage thereby of each article, and a .plurality of electrical contacts, one actuated by each' point turn of the star wheel, thetransfer of each group of articles beingeffectedv through one of said contacts and said .drivingimeans .when the predetermined number of articles forthe group have passed the star wheel.

2. In an article grouping mechanism having a supply conveyor to support and convey a line of articles and a receivingconveyor and means to drive the conveyors to deliverarticles in'groups from the supply conveyor to the receiving conveyor, a star wheel counter in the path ofarticles on the supply conveyor turned one point by the passage thereby of each articleyand a plurality of electrical contacts, one actuated .byxeach point turn of the star wheel, the .transfer .of each group of articles being effected through one `of said contacts and said driving means, when the predetermined number of articles for the group have passed the star wheel-and lmeans to render a'selected electrical contact effective, to successively `effect the transfer of the Apredetermined number for each group, irrespectiveof .the numberY of varticles that `have zjust previously passed by the star wheel. Y

3. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a guided lineofarticlestand a ymagazine having therein a plurality -ofreceiving kspaces and means to 'drivethe magazine tozdispose'successive spaces to receive and carry articles .from the conveyor transferred tol the magazineby said conveyor, counting means `adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor .into theline of articles and actuated by each. article passing thereby, the magazine driving vmeans beingactuated by the counting means upon thepassage thereby `of a predetermined number o-farticles.

4. In van article grouping `mechanism .having a continuously driven Aconveyor to supportand convey a guided line of articles-.and a magazine having therein va plurality Aofqreceiving -spaces and means to drive themagazine to disposefsuccessive spaces toreceive and carry articles from the conveyor tranferred tothemagazinebysaid conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, means to periodically actuate the magazine drive means upon the passage of a predetermine-d number of articles past the counting means, and means to set the periodically actuating means to act in its predetermined period irrespective of the number of articles that have just previously passed thereby.

5. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a guided line of articles and a magazine having therein a plurality of receiving spaces and means to drive the magazine to dispose successive spaces to receive and carry articles from the conveyor transferred to the magazine by said conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over ythe conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, the magazine driving means being actuated by the counting means upon the passage thereby of a predetermined number of articles and means to render the counting means eiective, for its predetermined number of articles to actuate the magazine driving means, irrespective of the number of articles that have just previously passed thereby.

6. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a guided line of articles and a magazine having therein a ,plurali-ty of receiving spaces and continuously operating means to drive the magazine to dispose successive spaces to receive and carry articles from the conveyor transferred to the magazine by said conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, means actuated by said counting means to render the continuously opera-ting magazine drive means effective to drive the magazine, upon the passage thereby of a predetermined number of articles.

7. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a guided line of articles and a magazine having therein a plurality of receiving spaces and continuously operating means t-o drive the magazine to dispose successive spaces to receive and carry articles from the conveyor transferred to the magazine by said conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, means actuated by said counting means to render the continuously operating magazine drive means effective to drive the magazine, upon the passage -thereby of a predetermined number of articles and means to render the counting means effective, for its predetermined number of articles to pass thereby between magazine movements, irrespective of the number of articles that have just previously passed by the counting means.

8. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a. guided line of articles and a magazine having therein a plurality yof receiving spaces and continuously operating means to drive the magazine to dispose successivespaces to receive and carry articles from the conveyor transferred to the magazine by said conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, electrical means operated by the counting means to mechanically render the continuously operating magazine drive means effective to drive the magazine, upon the passage by the counting means of a predetermined number of articles.

9. In an article grouping mechanism having a continuously driven conveyor to support and convey a guided line of articles and a magazine having therein a plurality of receiving spaces and continuously operating means to drive the magazine to dispose successive spaces to receive and carry articles from the conveyor transferred to the magazine `by said conveyor, counting means adjacent the conveyor extending over the conveyor into the line of articles and actuated by each article passing thereby, a plurality of electrical contacts, one of which is operated by each movement of the counting means to render the continuously operating means eiiective to drive the magazine and means to render any selected contact effective to actuate the magazine drive.

ALLAN C'. DAVIS.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name i Date 646,469 Sleeper I Apr. 31, 1900 1,243,408 Hawthorne Oct. 16, 1917 1,476,023 Phelps Dec. 4, 1923 1,832,343 Wittman Nov. 17, 1931 1,896,639 Meyer Feb. 7, 1933 2,043,763 Meyer June 9, 1936 2,052,840 Nussbaum Sept. 1, 1936 

